A dark room became even more darker

Can you please give me a three thousand rands money, I need to buy that weave I told you about last month, it is back on stock. A moment of silence followed as Zola had his eyes fixed on television screen. Zola ! Did you hear what I just said, Ntombi asked with a stronger and louder voice. She was busy unpacking grocery packets she bought from a nearby supermarket.

Ntombi was a short, dark and beautiful lady in her late thirties. She was staying with Zola her cohabitant partner for the past seven years. Ntombi had only visited her parents once in seven years and that was six years ago. Her parents got angry after discovering that Ntombi was cohabiting and cut communication with her . Ntombi's father was a well know church Bishop in his township.

Ntombi ! Zola finally opened his mouth, who is worried about buying other people's hair when the world is crambling? You want to bring this fatal disease to my house with the intention to kill me ? Stop being childish !

It was sthe eighth of March year 2020 , at time of the year where usually most Christians in South Africa look forward to Passover celebrations. But this year was different, it felt like the earth wsa being shaken, like the country was being invaded by demons. South Africa had just received the sad news of their very first case of Covid 19 disease, the disease that was not even believed by most citizens that it really existed now it has hit the country. People were scared and confused. To Zola it looked like Ntombi was living in her own world. Well Zola Ian actually worried, Ntombi said softly , the same way I worry about grocery, laundry and cooking. I mean you just finished eating, if you are really worried ,you should have skipped a meal and prayed for the country and the future. By so doing you would have saved food as well, aaha... Killing two birds with one stone, Ntombi said sarcastically.

The president just announced that as of tomorrow, no one is allowed to leave their homes except for essential workers and for your information those are nurses. Zola was a mechanical engineer by profession and had persuaded Ntombi to study and become a nurse earlier in their relationship. That cannot be true , Ntombi responded . I have two domestic jobs lined up for next week and I need those jobs since you can't buy me things. If you had studied as I suggested ,you would have secured a job in this hard time . Stop it Zola ,you are not my father and definitely you can't tell me what to do. If I was your father ,I would have done a better job. I would have made sure you became a nurse and wouldn't be stuck in a shack with a man who never asked for your hand in marriage. I think you should pack your things and go to your parents, I am sure they will need you during this time. After all we are not married.

Ntombi was so angry that she was even shaking . Before she could open her mouth, she was interrupted by a phone call from her mother. Hello Mom... ,Hello Ntombi ,I hope you are well. We heard in the news that South Africa has been hit by this terrible disease. Ian gland me and your day moved to another country three years ago. I'm calling because we were worried about you. I hope your " husband" will take good care of you. Ntombi's mother ended the call before Ntombi could respond. Ntombi was left startled. Husb....,she was thinking out loud. Aaaah ,Zola responded he was listening to the whole conversation between Ntombi and her mother. My mother just called you my husband. Your Mom is old and confused, being in a foreign country too is confusing ,don't mind her.

Zola! Ntombi shouted , you still won't agree to be my husband even if my mother just gave us her blessings? It was not your mother's blessings that were holding us up from getting married and we both know that.

What ? What then Zola?

You ! It is you ,Zola screamed . You are a problem Ntombi! A problem to me and to yourself.

The candle that was giving light to the shack was getting shorter and slowly disappearing into the candle holder. The shack was getting darker , but no one could notice since both of them were heated up in anger .

The room that was already dark became even more darker

Until there was no light at all.... Ntombi , where are the spare candles ?Zola asked ! Silence followed,then Ntombi responded in a shy voice, I forgot to buy the candles Zola .a moment of silence followed. Zola had said a mouthful that night , he just kept quiet. The neighbour who was up this whole time and could hear the whole conversation, decided to come to offer candle . But no one opened the door for him ,it was like both of them were glued into their chairs.

Inside their shack, it was all dark, the space ,the atmosphere, even their emotions. Not only was it dark but silent like there was no one inside. There was a river at a distance not far from their home , they could hear the frogs screaming . Their sounds were like human voices trying to communicate a message to the couple. Maybe the universe did have a message to pass ,maybe to one of them or to the both of them. The informal settlement was so quiet that the couple realised that they were the only ones making noise while other people were peaceful in their dreams . Ntombi was full of regrets. For the first time she pictures herself in nurses uniform ,driving to work while other people were locked down in their houses .She also remembered that her parents were far away from her and she didn't know all this time . Tears fell one after the other. The room was so dark that she even stepped on her other foot. She cried until darkness of sleep came over her and it was darkness over darkness